Koffler



S- KOFFLER Sept. 24, 1963 CAR CASE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 15, 1960S. KOFFLER CAR CASE Sept. 24, 1963 Filed Sept. 15; 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. 8 0L KO F FLER United States Patent 3,104,740 CAR CASE SciKoi'iier, 600 Blackstone Blvd, Providence, RI. Filed Sept. 15, 1960,Ser. No. 56,312 2 Claims. (Cl. 190-43) This invention, in general,relates to luggage. More particularly, the invention relates to luggageof the type in which articles of clothing and the like may be supportedon hangers in the luggage.

The present invention relates to luggage commonly called car cases. Theconventional car cases are made of a heavy fabric which opens into twoundivided sections when the luggage lies flat. Suits, dresses and thelike are laid in the luggage, usually on hangers attached at one end ofthe luggage to a member on the inner wall of the luggage. When theluggage is closed, the articles of clothing fold at the middle part ofthe luggage. The primary value of this type of luggage is the minimizingof wrinkling of the articles of clothing carried.

I have observed that luggage of the type described is relativelyunattractive in appearance in comparison with other types of luggage,especially after the luggage has been used a number of times. Becausethe usual car cases have essentially flexible walls with little internalsupport in the luggage, the luggage begins to become misshapen after ashort period of use. Furthermore, the usual car cases are not veryservicable when travelling by public conveyances because they arestacked with other pieces of luggage in the baggage compartment of thepublic conveyance wherein the luggage and the clothing therein can becrushed by the weight of the other luggage stacked thereon.

It is an object of this invention to provide improvements in luggage ofthe previously described car case type.

Another object of the invention is to provide stronger articles ofluggage of the car case type than heretofore known.

Still another object of the invention is to provide luggage of twoopposed undivided segments with a flexible connection therebetweenwhereby the segments can be opened and closed.

Briefly, the luggage of the instant invention comprises a pair ofmatching shells. Each shell has an open end, and the two open ends areconnected by a flexible segment which allows the luggage to be opened ina fully fiat position without division between the two shells and to beclosed with the shells forming a hollow compartment for holding articlesof clothing. Each shell is rigid and has a side wall, a bottom wall andtwo end walls. The shells are interconnected by a flexible material. Themiddle of the flexible material preferably is rigidified by a supportingmember to which the handle of the luggage is attached. An embodiment ofthe invention is illustrated in the drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a piece of luggage made in accordancewith the invention in which the piece of luggage is shown in the closedstate;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the piece of luggage of FIG. 1 in theflat, open position;

FIG. 3' is an end elevation of the of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating the threerigid pieces in the article of luggage and their relative positions inthe luggage;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on section 55 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to a modified form of theinvention.

The luggage piece 1 is made of two opposing hollow piece of luggage FIG.5 in Patented Sept. 24, 1963 compartments 2, 3 which form a hollowcontainer for holding articles of clothing when the luggage piece isclosed as shown in FIG. 1 and which form an undivided compartment forreceiving articles of clothing when the luggage is laid open as shown inFIG. 2.

In order to make this type of luggage rigid and resistant to crushingunder weight loads, the major part of each compartment 2, 3 containsrigidifying shells 4 and 9, respectively. Shell 4 has a side wall 5, abottom wall 7 and two end walls 6 and 8. The shell 9 is identical to theshell 4 and has the side wall 10, a bottom wall 12 and two ends walls 11and 13. The shells are positioned in the luggage piece with their openends opposing each other when the luggage piece is laid open as shown inFIG. 4. .When the luggage piece is closed, the end walls 6 and 8 arealigned with ends walls 11 and 13, respectively. The bottom walls 7 and12 become the bottom side of the luggage. The walls 5 and 10 constitutethe side walls of the luggage, and the end wall pairs 6 and 11 and 8 and13 become a part of the end walls of the luggage.

The luggage piece '1 contains one additional rigid part in the luggageframework. This part is the frame member 14 composed of a wall 15 havingintegral end walls 1-6 spaced apart a distance substantiallyco-extensive with the width of shells 4 and9. The wall 15 may be withoutside walls as shown in FIG. 2, or its rigidity may be augmented bysmall, integrally-formed side walls 17. The wall 14 may be substantiallyflat as viewed in crosssection and shown in FIG. 5, or it may have aslightly arcuate configuration in cross-section as shown in FIG. 6,Where the numeral 14' designates the modified form of the frame membercorresponding to frame member .14. The frame member 14 is made up of awall 15, a pair of end walls 16' and a pair of short rigidifying Walls17'. The remaining aspects of the frame member 14' are identical withthe frame member shown in FIG. 4.

The frame member 14 is positioned in the luggage piece 1 midway betweenthe shells 4- and 9 when the luggage piece is laid open as shown in FIG.4. When the luggage piece is closed, the wall 15' becomes the rigidframe- Work for the top of the luggage piece 1. The end walls 16 dependdownwardly and serve as small, rigidifying sections at the top of theend walls of the luggage piece 1. The frame member :14 has a pair ofstraps 18 and 19 mounted on the respective end walls 16. The straps 1'8and 19 are connected or disconnected as desired by the buckle 20. Theconnected straps 1 8 and 19 act in nature of a supporting rod forarticles of clothing draped thereover when the luggage piece is closedand standing upright.

The shells 4 and 9 and frame member 14 are made of any suitable materialwhich is substantially rigid and resistant to substantial bending. It ispreferably a lightweight material. Examples of materials from which theshells 4 and 9 and frame member 14 can be made are lightweight metals,molded plastics, and molded fiber products such as molded Fiberglas. Theshells and frame member are designed so that they can be cast, molded orstamped 3 cemented, or otherwise secured to the outer surface of theshells 4 and 9 and tightly stretched thereover. It is similarlycemented, glued' or otherwise adhered to the outer surface of the framemember 14. These three pieces of the luggage framework make up the majorportion of the wall area of the luggage piece 1, the remaining areabeing bendable segments 22 and 23, which are unrigidified pieces of thecovering 21. The covering 21 preferably is made of a sufiiciently heavy,and self-supporting material so that the segments 22 and '23 do notcollapse when the luggage is standing in the upright position.

When the luggage is closed, the lower edges of the walls 16 are inproximity to and aligned with the upper edges of the walls 6, 8, 11 and13 of shells and 10. Excessive loads on the top of the luggage causesaid edges to come into contact and thereby prevent excessive crushageof the flexible top part of the luggage piece.

By constructing the luggage in the manner outlined, the luggage piece 1has a finished appearance and is much more attractive than the usual,presently known car cases. The luggage piece protects the articles ofclothing contained therein against crushing when loads are placed on theluggage piece. The attractive appearance of the luggage is furtherenhanced by the fact that the bendable segments 22 and 23 need have onlyone fold 24 in the covering at each corner.

The appearance of the luggage can be further improved by stitching beads25 to the end walls and bottom wall of the luggage piece and similarlystitching a circumferential, horizontal head 26 around the side wallsand end walls. The edges of the two compartments of the luggage piecehave ribbing 27 by which the flange 39 is stitched on the luggage piece.The segment 29 of ribbing 27 becomes folded when the luggage piece isclosed (see FIG. 1). Decorative beading 28 may be applied along the topand a part of the ends of the luggage piece 1.

A handle 30 is mounted on the top wall of the luggage piece in handlebrackets 31. The handle brackets 31 are rigidly secured to the framemember 14 by means of rivets 32 extending through the frame member andriveted upon a reinforcing plate 33 on the underside of the frame member14.

The luggage piece 1 is locked in the closed position by a pair of locks,each composed of a strap 34 having a latching part 35 and a catch 36having one or more catch openings. The strap 34 is attached to thecompartment 3 and the catch 36 is mounted on the end wall of thecompartment 2. The locking components are of the usual conventionalconstruction and are not illustrated in detail. There is providedaroundthe inner periphery of the compartments 2 and 3 at the edgesthereof, excepting wall 38, flange 39 of relatively rigid material.Flange 39 has a zipper track 40 along its free edge, which zipper trackmeshes with zipper track 41 extending along the three sides of a fabriccovering 42, which encloses the articles of clothing in the compartments12, 3 after they have been packed in the luggage piece 1. The fourthside of the cover 42 is attached to the inner wall 38 of the compartment3 and corresponds in size to the opening between the edges of the flange39. The flange 39 is bendable at segments 43 so that it does notinterfere with the closing of the luggage.

Compartments 2 and 3 each have a hanger support 44 mounted on the wallsegments making up the bottom wall of the luggage piece 1. The hangersupports 44 are attached to mounting plates 45 and 49, respectively,which, in turn, are secured to the walls of the luggage compartments 2and 3, respectively. Hanger supports 44 are adapted to receive and holda removable, interfitting supporting bar 48, on which the latching partsof pivotable hooks 46 of hangers 47 are hung. The hanger supports 44 andsupporting bars 48 are described in greater detail in my pendingapplication Serial No. 44,127, filed July 20, 1960. Any of theconventional hanger supports presently known for the articles of luggagemay be used instead of the illustrated mechanism.

The articles of clothing are packed in the luggage piece by placing themon the hangers 47 and attaching the hangers on one or both of thesupporting bars 48. The

supporting bars are interfitted and locked in the hanger supports 44 asdescribed in said copending application. The straps 18 and 19 arebuckled together over the articles of clothing, and the cover 42 isZipped. The

luggage is then closed and locked. "In the upright posi-. tion thebuckled straps 18 and 19 act as a support for the clothing foldedthereover with the luggage in the upright position. On the outside ofthe bottom wall of compartment 2 and opposite the hanger support 44there is prostantially perpendicular to said wall. This hook on theoutside wall of the luggage allows the open luggage piece to be hung.When the hangers containing the articles of clothing are all mounted onhanger support 44, the opened luggage piece 1 doubles as a storage bag.The compartments 2 and 3 each have mounted over the beading 25 of thebottom side of the luggage a pair of luggage feet or cleats 53 uponwhich the luggage is supported when in the upright position.

The foregoing description of one embodiment of my invention constitutesbut one of the many possible variations for putting to practice thegeneric concepts disclosed in this description and claimed in theappended claims. My invention is not limited in its generic aspectsolely to the embodiment described and illustrated. By way of example ofsome variations, a serviceable luggage piece can be constructed withoutcovering the shells 2 and 3* and/ or the frame member 14 with fabric orplastic sheeting. Instead, fol-dable, relatively rigid fabric may beused in a luggage piece only in the segments corresponding to segments22 and 23 of the previously. described drawing with the fabric piecesattached at or adjacent to the edges of the shells 4 and 9 and the framemember 14. Alternatively, the fabric may be attached at the edges of theshells 4 and 9 in the form of a unitary piece to which is adhered,cemented or otherwise secured, a frame member 14 in the mannerpreviously described.

The decorative beading shown in the illustrated embodiment may be placedat other positions on the lug-gage or may be omitted entirely. Otherdecorative or aesthetic features of the illustrated embodiment may bemodified or omitted without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention. The straps 18 and 19 may be replaced by a rod or bar hingedat one side of the luggage, and the hook for hanging up the luggage,which book is located on the bottom wall of the luggage, may be omittedor changed in structural design.

Thus, in essence, the herein described invention provides a luggagepiece which is composed primarily of a framework of substantially rigidframing members interconnected by relatively stiif, but foldable fabricor sheet-,

ing segments. This combination of interconnected, substantially rigidframing members provides luggage pieces which provide all of theutilitarian functions of previously known car cases, while substantiallyenhancing the appearance of the luggage pieces in comparison with thepreviously known car cases, and at the same time giving much improvedprotection to the clothing contained in the luggage pieces againstcrushing of the clothing contained therein when weight is placed uponthe luggage pieces. Still further, the luggage features constructed inaccordance with the invention retain their new or original appearancemuch longer than the known oar cases under conditions of similarhandling and storage, particularly in the handling and storage ofbaggage during transit on public and freight conveyances.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows: 1. A luggage piececomprising a pair of substantially rigid and substantially identicalshells,

each shell being a unitary body with a generally rectangular side wall,a bottom wall, two end walls on opposite sides of said side wall, withthree edges of said side well being joined to said bottom wall and saidend walls, said bottom and end walls being at substantially right anglesto said side wall,

the fourth side of each shell opposite said bottom wall being open,

the shells, when said luggage piece is closed, having the edges of theirrespective two side walls and said bottom walls in opposing,juxtapositioned relationship and forming an enclosure with one open end,

a substantially rigid frame member comprising a first wall extendingacross said open end of said juxtapositioned shells and end wallsextending at substantially right angles to said first wall from the endsof said first wall toward said end walls of said shells,

said frame member being spaced from said shells,

said end walls of said frame member having a length from said first wallto the outer edges thereof substantially equal to the width of said endwalls of said shells,

a sheet of flexible material extending over said frame member, saidsheet being adhered to said first wall and said end walls of said framemember,

said sheet being further adhered to said side walls and said end wallsof each of saidshells, said sheet extending between said side walls ofsaid shell and said first wall of said frame member as well as betweensaid end walls of said shells and said end walls of said frame member,

said shells, said frame member and said sheet of fiexible materialforming a generally rectangular, fivesided enclosure when said luggagepiece is lying open with said side walls of said shells lying on a flatsurface,

the portions of said sheet of flexible material extending between saidend walls of said shells and said end walls of said frame memberforming, four, inward folds, one of each of said folds being locatedimmediately beside one of the four side edges of said end walls of saidframe member, when said shells are brought into said opposing,juxtapositioned relationship,

the portions of said sheet of flexible material extending across thespaces between shells and said frame member forming flexible hingeswhereby said shells can be pivoted relative to said frame member,

and a carrying handle attached to said frame member.

2. A luggage piece comprising a pair of substantially rigid andsubstantially identical shells.

each shell being a unitary body with a generally rectangular side wall,a bottom wall, two end walls on opposite sides of said side wall, withthree edges of said side wall being joined to said bottom wall and saidend walls, said bottom and end walls being at substantially right anglesto said side wall,

the fourth sideof each shell opposite said bottom wall being open,

the shells, when said luggage piece is closed, having the edges of theirrespective two side walls and said bottom walls inopposing,juxtapositioned relationship and forming an enclosure with oneopen end,

a substantially rigid frame member comprising a first wall extendingacross said open end of said juxtapositioned shells and end wallsextending at sub stantially right angles to said first wall from theends toward said end walls of said shells,

said frame member being spaced from said shells,

said end walls of said frame member having a length from said first wallto the outer edges thereof substantially equal to the width of said endwalls of said shells,

a sheet of flexible material extending over said frame member, saidsheet being adhered to said first wall and said end walls of said framemember,

said sheet being further adhered to said side walls and said end wallsof each of said shells, said sheet extending between said side walls ofsaid shell and said first wall of said frame member as well as betweensaid end Walls of said shells and said end walls of said frame member,

said shells, said frame member and said sheet of flexible materialforming a generally rectangular, fivesided enclosure when said luggagepiece is lying open with said side walls of said shells lying on a flatsurface,

the portions of said sheet of flexible material extending between saidend walls of said shells and said end walls of said frame member formingfour, inward folds, one of each of said folds being located immediatelybeside one of the four side edges of said end walls of said framemember, when said shells are brought into said opposing, juxtapositionedrelationship,

the portions of said sheet of flexible material extending across thespaces between shells and said frame member forming flexible hingeswhereby said shells can be pivoted relative to said frame member,

a hook pivotally mounted on the bottom wall of one of said shells, saidbook being pivotable from a position substantially parallel with saidbottom wall to a position substantially at right angles thereto, wherebysaid hook oan be used to hang up said luggage piece in the openposition,

and a carrying handle attached to said frame member.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,774,450 Smallberg Dec. 18, 1956 2,839,167 Smith June 17, 19572,849,093 Chesnut Aug. 26, 1958 2,887,196 Davis May 19, 1959 3,035,673Schenkler May 22, 1962

1. A LUGGAGE PIECE COMPRISING A PAIR OF SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID ANDSUBSTANTIALLY IDENTICAL SHELLS, EACH SHELL BEING A UNITARY BODY WITH AGENERALLY RECTANGULAR SIDE WALL, A BOTTOM WALL, TWO END WALLS ONOPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID SIDE WALL, WITH THREE EDGES OF SAID SIDE WALLBEING JOINED TO SAID BOTTOM WALL AND SAID END WALLS, SAID BOTTOM AND ENDWALLS BEING AT SUBSTANTIALLY RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID SIDE WALL, THE FOURTHSIDE OF EACH SHELL OPPOSITE SAID BOTTOM WALL BEING OPEN, THE SHELLS,WHEN SAID LUGGAGE PIECE IS CLOSED, HAVING THE EDGES OF THEIR RESPECTIVETWO SIDE WALLS AND SAID BOTTOM WALLS IN OPPOSING, JUXTAPOSITIONEDRELATIONSHIP AND FORMING AN ENCLOSURE WITH ONE OPEN END, A SUBSTANTIALLYRIGID FRAME MEMBER COMPRISING A FIRST WALL EXTENDING ACROSS SAID OPENEND OF SAID JUXTAPOSITIONED SHELLS AND END WALLS EXTENDING ATSUBSTANTIALLY RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID FIRST WALL FROM THE ENDS OF SAIDFIRST WALL TOWARD SAID END WALLS OF SAID SHELLS, SAID FRAME MEMBER BEINGSPACED FROM SAID SHELLS, SAID END WALLS OF SAID FRAME MEMBER HAVING ALENGTH FROM SAID FIRST WALL TO THE OUTER EDGES THEREOF SUBSTANTIALLYEQUAL TO THE WIDTH OF SAID END WALLS OF SAID SHELLS, A SHEET OF FLEXIBLEMATERIAL EXTENDING OVER SAID FRAME MEMBER, SAID SHEET BEING ADHERED TOSAID FIRST WALL AND SAID END WALLS OF SAID FRAME MEMBER, SAID SHEETBEING FURTHER ADHERED TO SAID SIDE WALLS AND SAID END WALLS OF EACH OFSAID SHELLS, SAID SHEET EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SIDE WALLS OF SAID SHELLAND SAID FIRST WALL OF SAID FRAME MEMBER AS WELL AS BETWEEN SAID ENDWALLS OF SAID SHELLS AND SAID END WALLS OF SAID FRAME MEMBER, SAIDSHELLS, SAID FRAME MEMBER AND SAID SHEET OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL FORMING AGENERALLY RECTANGULAR, FIVESIDED ENCLOSURE WHEN SAID LUGGAGE PIECE ISLYING OPEN WITH SAID SIDE WALLS OF SAID SHELLS LYING ON A FLAT SURFACE,THE PORTIONS OF SAID SHEET OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL EXTENDING BETWEEN SAIDEND WALLS OF SAID SHELLS AND SAID END WALLS OF SAID FRAME MEMBERFORMING, FOUR, INWARD FOLDS, ONE OF EACH OF SAID FOLDS BEING LOCATEDIMMEDIATELY BESIDE ONE OF THE FOUR SIDE EDGES OF SAID END WALLS OF SAIDFRAME MEMBER, WHEN SAID SHELLS ARE BROUGHT INTO SAID OPPOSING,JUXTAPOSITIONED RELATIONSHIP, THE PORTIONS OF SAID SHEET OF FLEXIBLEMATERIAL EXTENDING ACROSS THE SPACES BETWEEN SHELLS AND SAID FRAMEMEMBER FORMING FLEXIBLE HINGES WHEREBY SAID SHELLS CAN BE PIVOTEDRELATIVE TO SAID FRAME MEMBER, AND A CARRYING HANDLE ATTACHED TO SAIDFRAME MEMBER.